Providing user interface language options

ABSTRACT

User interface (UI) language options are provided. A request event of a visible text string for a UI element is identified. A user value area of a control of the UI element is inspected to obtain a resource bundle name and key for one or more language equivalents of the text string of the UI element. A menu option is added to the request event by retrieving the language equivalent of the text string in one or more languages from a resource bundle of the application using the resource bundle name and key.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. application Ser.No. 15/378,631, entitled “PROVIDING USER INTERFACE LANGUAGE OPTIONS,”filed Dec. 14, 2016, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

BACKGROUND

Aspects of the present invention relate to providing user interfacelanguage options, and more specifically, to providing language optionsfor text of user interface elements.

Localization uses methods of transforming computer applications todifferent languages, regional differences and technical requirements ofa target audience known as the locale. An application may be localizedby adding locale-specific components and translating user visible textthat is externalized into resource bundles that are separate to thecomputer application code module. The text in the resource bundle istranslated into different languages for different regions or localeswhere the application is operated. Resource bundles of applicationsexist for each language. The application may load a locale-specificresource from the resource bundle that is appropriate for the locale.Application code may be written which is independent of the locale byisolating the locale-specific information in resource bundles. Thisallows the application code to be created and distributed independentlyof the resource bundles.

The text displayed by a user interface is the most obvious example oflocale-specific data. For example, an application with a “Cancel” buttonin English speaking countries will have an “Abbrechen” button in Germanspeaking countries. In other countries, this button will have otherlabels. This button label should not be hard-coded if the application isintended to be used in different countries. Isolating thelocale-specific objects in a resource bundle enables different languageoptions to be provided. In general, the objects stored in a resourcebundle are predefined and ship with the product.

A user of software with a graphical user interface (GUI) may wish to usewords contained within the GUI of an application, for example, to searchthe web for additional information. An example of this is when a messageappears indicating a possible error and they want to see if others haveencountered the same message and what their resolution was.

A problem occurs when a user wishes to use text from the software, suchas an error message, to search the web but the user is running thesoftware in a language different to the language that the web content iswritten in. The advantage of using the web, rather than the built-indocumentation for the product, is that this will search forums, blogs,and other content that includes results and answers from the range ofInternet users.

For example, the user may be running the software in German and may havean error message: “Verbindungsaufbau fehlgeschlagen mit Fehler‘Moglicher SSL’”. The English version of the software has thecorresponding error message: “Connect failed with error ‘Possible SSLconnection failure’”.

When a user who uses the software in German wants to search the web forhelp with the error they might copy the error message into theirclipboard, paste it into a search engine, and look for results. If theweb content is in English, then the search for the German phrase findsno results.

The search for the English error message finds links to blogs and forumsfor how to solve the problem, posted by other users who have encounteredthe same problem and written how to resolve it.

One solution for the German user is to use an on-line translation. Ifthis solution is used, then errors in translation may occur. For examplethe phrase: “Verbindungsaufbau fehlgeschlagen mit Fehler Moglicher ssl”may result in “Connectionless failed with error of possible ssl”.Searching on this inaccurate English translation does not yield thesearch results that the actual English error message does and the Germanuser cannot find the right forum entries.

A solution that occurs is that users in countries where English is notthe primary language run the software in English because this gives themthe widest scope to reference on-line material, such as blogs, forums,wikis to guide them through the software usage. A typical scenario isthat German users run their software in English, rather than German.This creates a need for the end user to be literate in English to beable to operate the software, restricting the skill and cost of the enduser.

Another solution is to prefix all messages with a unique ID that is nottranslated, for example, an error message might have a prefix IZE0106Ethat a user can select and use as the search string for documentationand help. The disadvantage of this is that the string keys clutter thescreen. They are also only shown in error messages and not descriptivestrings so they are limited in where they are and where results can befound. In forum posts where end users are describing how to resolve aproblem, the unique ID may not be included as the English discussionwill be about the words of the message rather than the ID.

SUMMARY

Shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantages areprovided through the provision of a computer-implemented method ofproviding user interface (UI) options carried out by a user interfaceadapter. The method includes, for instance, identifying a request eventrelating to a text string for a UI element of an application. A uservalue area of a control of the UI element is inspected to obtain aresource bundle name and key for one or more language equivalents of thetext string of the UI element. A menu option is added to the requestevent by retrieving a language equivalent of the text string in one ormore languages from a resource bundle of the application using theresource bundle name and key.

Computer program products and systems relating to one or more aspectsare also described may be claimed herein.

Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniquesdescribed herein. Other embodiments and aspects are described in detailherein and are considered a part of the claimed aspects.

One or more aspects of the invention provide an advantage of languageselection of user interface text strings providing the originaltranslations from the language bundle of the application. This removes aneed for obtaining a translation of a text string, which may beinaccurate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter regarded as aspects of the invention is particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of thespecification. Aspects of the invention, both as to organization andmethod of operation, together with objects, features, and advantagesthereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detaileddescription when read with the accompanying drawings.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a system inaccordance with one of more aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of an example embodiment of a first aspect of amethod in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of an example embodiment of a further aspect ofa method in accordance with one or more aspects of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a user interface elementoption in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a system inaccordance with one or more aspects of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a computer system in whichone or more aspects of the present invention may be implemented.

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration,elements shown in the FIGS. have not necessarily been drawn to scale.For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggeratedrelative to other elements for clarity. Further, where consideredappropriate, reference numbers may be repeated among the FIGS. toindicate corresponding or analogous features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The described methods and systems provide user interface (UI) languageoptions to an end user of an application. A user may select a textstring from a UI element and may obtain the translation of the textstring as provided in a language bundle of the application.

Graphical control elements or widgets provide elements of interaction ina UI of an application referred to as UI elements. There may be textstrings associated with the UI elements. For example, there may be textstrings for a label, in a dialog box, in an information bar, in an errormessage, etc. The text string is displayed to the user in the UI in thelanguage in which the application is operating. However, due tolocalization of applications, resource bundles are associated with theapplication that provide original developer-provided translations of thetext strings in the other languages that the application may be operatedin.

The described methods and systems enable a user of the application usingthe application in a first language to obtain an original translation ofa text string in a second language and, optionally, additionallanguages, from the resource bundles. The user may wish to only view thetranslation of the text string or may copy it to a clipboard.

In one example embodiment, a user may select a text string in the formof an error message displayed in the UI and may wish to obtain the errormessage in a different language in order to research the error. Anoption may be provided in the UI to select and copy the text string inone or more alternative languages. The text string may then be providedin the one or more alternative languages as provided in a languagebundle of the application for localization purposes.

The described methods and systems enable the utilization of a menuaction for a UI to reach into an application's original language bundlesusing a key for the UI element and retrieve the value for the selectedlanguage. The method may be implemented without any changes to theapplication and may utilize a pre-compiler component to inject linesinto the application's object code to transmit a resource bundle nameand key to each UI element.

Referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram shows an example embodiment of thedescribed system 100.

The system 100 includes an application 110 which may have UI object code101, which is used for programing the function of UI elements such aswidgets and controls used in the application 110. The UI object code 101includes UI element code 102 relating to UI elements that includereferences to user visible text strings. “User visible” text stringsmeans that the string contains language text that narrates theapplications in respect of being an instruction or information in thelanguage the user has defined as the operating language when interactingwith the application.

UI object code 101 is responsible for creating the UI that the user seesand reacts with their keyboard and mouse, and the application 110 reactsto by updating UI elements such as lists, trees, tables, etc. withapplication data. The UI object code 101 when creating the UI elementsbuilds some that do not change between different language translations(such as text input fields, size and position of lists), as well as someUI elements whose content does change between different languagetranslations (such as labels, menu items, titles, error messages, etc.).

The application 110 may have one or more associated resource bundles 112which are identified by a bundle name. A resource bundle 112 may havelocale objects 113 for each locale accommodated by the resource bundle112 with corresponding properties files 114A, 114B for each language.The properties files 114A, 114B include key/value pairs 115 wherein akey relates to a visible text element and the value is the translatedform of the visible text element. One of the properties files 114A, 114Bmay be a default primary language file. The keys are referenced whenretrieving text in different languages.

A pre-compiler component 120 may be provided including a referenceinjector component 121 which may inject code into the UI object code 101to add a resource bundle name and key reference 103 for UI element code102 relating to UI elements having a visible text string relating to thekey reference. Each UI element code 102 for different UI elements havingassociated visible text strings may have injected code to reference aresource bundle name and key reference 103.

A UI adapter 130 may be provided which may be independent of theapplication 110 and which listens to UI events such as window events.The UI adapter 130 includes an option adding component 131 for adding alanguage option to a UI element by reference to the bundle name and keyreference in the UI element code 102. The option adding component 131may include a language retrieving component 132 for retrieving analternative language original translation for the UI element from areferenced properties file 114A, 114B of a resource bundle 112 whenrequested by a user.

In one embodiment of the described system, each UI element knows, notonly the current visible text string it displays, but also the resourcebundle and key used to create its current visible text string.

Referring to FIG. 2, a flow diagram 200 shows an example embodiment ofan aspect of the described method as carried out by the pre-compilercomponent 120 for modifying UI object code 101 of an application 110.

UI object code 101 may be provided 201 for an application 110 and thepre-compiler component 120 may recognize 202 the code statements in theUI object code 101 that retrieve language bundle values for use in UIelements having visible text strings.

The code statements that retrieve language bundle values are written bythe string externalizer and are recognizable by their syntax.

The method may determine 203 the bundle name and key from the codestatements in the UI object code that retrieve the language bundlevalues for externalization.

The pre-compiler component 120 may inject object code 204 in the UIobject code 101 to transmit the bundle name and key to the UI element.

The instructions to record the bundle name and key are then compiled 205into UI object code. The pre-compiler injects the code that then getscompiled into the actual object code instructions. At runtime, theactual object code instructions then execute to move the bundle name andkey into the UI element and the actual values are inserted into the UIelement when the UI element is created.

The bundle name and key may be stored in the user data of the UIelement. Every window UI element has, e.g., values such as its color,text, size, location, etc. There are arbitrary value slots in what isknown as the user data and the pre-compiler's statements' byte codesstore the bundle name and key into the user data of the UI element.

An example is provided with the following UI object code 101 in whichthe injected object code is underlined. The statements preceding theunderlined code, are recognized by the pre-compiler component 120 ashaving syntax of the string externalizer. These statements are providedby default in Java (Java is a trademark of Oracle Corporation) using astandard Eclipse (Eclipse is a trademark of Eclipse Foundation)externalization wizard. The underlined injected code exists in theobject code and not the original source code that remains unchanged. Theunderlined code enables the resource bundle name and key to be injectedinto the UI element enabling the UI adapter 130 to retrieve these.

Bundle bundle=

Bundle.getBundle(Class.getName( ).getBundle(“Messages”));

Button b=new Button( );

b_bundle_name=“Messages”;

b.setUserValue(“text_bundle_name”,b_bundle_name);

b.setText(bundle.getString(“Button_push”));

b_bundle_key=“Button push”;

b.setUserValue(“text_bundle_key”,b_bundle_key);

The build step of the pre-compiler component 120 recognizes thestatements that retrieve language bundle values for use in userinterface elements and inserts object code that records the languagebundle source name and key used in the UI element. This does not modifythe source code of the application; it injects byte codes similar toother pre-compiler technologies used by frameworks, such asaspect-oriented programming extensions.

The pre-compiler component 120 detects the patterns of where a stringhas been externalized and inserts new lines that set the resource bundlename and key so that at runtime the user interface has these present.The reference to the resource bundle name and key for the text string ofthe UI element is used so that the UI adapter 130 can retrieve these andlook up the original language strings.

An example illustrating the described method is provided below. Sourcecodes that use language resource bundles for user visible strings followa pattern that is generated by externalization programs. For example,

Button b=new Button( );

button.setText(“Push me”);

is converted by externalization wizards to:

Bundle bundle=

Bundle.getBundle(Class.getName( )getBundle(“Messages”));

Button b=new Button( );

b.setText(bundle.getString(“Button_push”));

The problem that this causes and is addressed by one or more aspects ofthe described method is that only the words “Push me” are known atruntime and given to the button. The pop-up menu is to know the originalbundle name and the key used, in this case, the bundle name of“Messages” and the key of “Button_push”. This allows the method to reachinto the raw bundle files and look for the particular language values,for example, “_de” ones to get the German string.

Aspects of the method use the user value area of UI element controls asdata stores to put the bundle name and bundle value, with a pre-compilerstep that reads the machine generated syntax of the externalizationstring and adds byte codes that effectively inject the source linesunderlined below.

Bundle bundle=

Bundle.getBundle(Class.getName( ).getBundle(“Messages”));

Button b=new Button( );

b_bundle_name=“Messages”;

b.setUserValue(“text_bundle_name”,b_bundle_name);

b.setText(bundle.getString(“Button_push”));

b_bundle_key=“Button_push”;

b.setUserValue(“text_bundle_key”,b_bundle_key);

With the UI element controls now having the bundle key and name, themethod may use this to locate bundles in the alternative languagelocations, such as “en_US” when the program is running in German, or“de” when the program is running in English.

In an alternative embodiment, the source code may be modified to includethe references to the resource bundle name and key for each UI elementhaving a text string. However, this is expensive and intrusive in thecode and possibly error prone as the bundle name and key may be definedin multiple places in the source code.

In a further alternative embodiment, the source code may be scanned andreplaced to insert the relevant additional lines in the source code butthese would then clutter the code and make it more complex. Thepre-compiler component 120 effectively does this but it just injects theruntime byte codes so only the object code has the extra logic keepingthe source code original.

Aspects of the described method use a single source of the bundle nameand key in the source code and then use this in the pre-compiler step toinject the lines without any source code duplication or cluttering.

Referring to FIG. 3, a flow diagram 300 shows an example embodiment ofan aspect of the described method as carried out by a UI adapter 130.

The flow diagram 300 shows an example embodiment of a method of adding alanguage option to a UI element as carried out, for example, by anoption adding component 131 of the UI adapter 130, and for retrievingthe language text, for example, by a language retrieving component 132.

The UI adapter 130 may listen to window events in the UI. The method mayidentify 301 a request event, such as a selection of a visible textstring for a UI element, for example, a text string copy request. Whenan event for a pop-up menu is raised and the window is created, the UIadapter 130 will be aware of these events. In the example of a copyrequest, if the UI adapter 130 sees the “Copy” option, it knows that theUI element that the menu is being created for has some possible text (itcould be an image).

The method may inspect 302 the user value area of the UI element controland may obtain 303 a bundle name and key, if available. Being availableis determined by the bundle_resource_name and bundle_key being in theuser data with values that are inserted by the pre-compiler injectingthe byte codes into the application program when it sees the pattern forthe externalized strings.

A menu option may be added 304 to the request event for a languageoption in one or more alternative languages to the language in which theapplication is operating. The UI adapter 130 may look up the resourcebundle and key to determine the available languages in the resourcebundle. One language may be designated as a primary language.Appropriate menu options may then be added 304 indicating options ofusing the languages available.

The UI adapter 130 may use the available resource language bundle nameand key to retrieve 305 the alternative language value(s) from theresource bundle. The alternative language value(s) may be added 306 tothe menu option(s).

The method may retrieve 305 the alternative language value(s) by lookingup the named resource bundle and identifying a properties file for alanguage and retrieving the value for the specified key.

A menu option of a UI element is built on request when a user asks forit and disposed of when the menu is dismissed. This enables a menu to bedynamic based on, for example, what is in the clipboard (when paste isenabled) or what is selected (when copy or cut is enabled). The adapterretrieves the alternative language values at runtime when the menu isbeing built during the use of the UI.

In one embodiment, a primary language is defined as one of theproperties files and the method may retrieve only the primary language.A primary language may be English or another language. For example,applications may be written in Chinese with Chinese being the mainsource of Internet support for a particular field of applications, andtherefore, Chinese may be the primary language. In other embodiments, achoice of languages may be provided as a selected language forretrieval.

The option provided may display, beneath the “Copy” option, anadditional option of “Copy in English” or it may display “Copy nnn”where “nnn” is the retrieved text value. In both cases, the retrievedlanguage is made available to the user.

For example, an original en_US english string may be retrieved and addedas a new menu item and “Copy nnn” is where nnn is the originalen_US_english text. An example might be “Copy ‘An FTP File Buffer Errorhas occurred’”, where ‘An FTP File Buffer Error has occurred’ is theretrieved English text. The retrieved English message in its Englishoriginal is made available to the user in this way.

In one embodiment, the UI adapter may be a general window displayadapter listener registered with the operating system windowing toolkit.All messages are posted onto a windows event queue. For example, thereis a pop-up menu requested event and a pop-up menu created event. Whenthe pop-up menu created event is received, the adapter receives the menuand can inspect its contents to see if, for example, “Copy” is an optionprovided. The adapter may also see the window handle for the UI elementthat raised the request.

When a pop-up request event is seen, the adapter may inspect thecontrol's user data to see if it contains details of the original bundlename and key. If so, then a menu action including retrieving the valuein an alternative language, or languages, may be added.

The adapter may go back to the UI element to see if it's user datacontains the keys for bundle_resource_name and bundle_key and, if so, itmay go to the file directly for the original language to lookup for thekey, and from this, the adapter may create the word “Copy xxx” where xxxis the original language value for the bundle key, and add this as amenu button below the “Copy”.

When a menu action is taken by the user, this generates a GET_MENU onthe windows event message queue. When this message is replied to and themenu is created with the CREATE_MENU, the method has knowledge of the UIelement the request was for, and uses the language bundle name and keyto retrieve an original English value and add the “Copy in English” menuitem beneath “Copy”. The method may intercept the CREATE_MENU message,see that a “Copy” item exists (or equivalent in the user's language),and then from the control find the original value.

In an example, an application is able to be run in multiple languagesand the user is running the software in a language different to the onethat the web content is written in. For example, the user may be runningthe application in German and may have an error message:“Verbindungsaufbau fehlgeschlagen mit Fehler ‘Moglicher SSL’”. TheEnglish version of the software has the corresponding error message:“Connect failed with error ‘Possible SSL connection failure’”.

The described method enables a user to select a string in a screencontrol, such as a label or text area, and allows the user to copy andpaste the value of the contents of the string in a selection oflanguages and not just in the current language being displayed. In thegiven example, an option may be provided to copy the error message“Verbindungsaufbau fehlgeschlagen mit Fehler ‘Moglicher SSL’” in Englishas “Connect failed with error “Possible SSL connection failure’” whichis the corresponding text if the application were run in English.

Referring to FIG. 4, a schematic diagram illustrates a user interface400 of an application operating in German and an equivalent userinterface 420 of the same application operating in English.

The user interface 400 shows a UI element 410 in the form of an errormessage displayed on the user interface 400. The error message is inGerman and has the text string: “Verbindungsaufbau fehlgeschlagen mitFehler ‘Moglicher SSL’”.

The user interface 420 shows the same UI element 430 in the Englishequivalent application as: “Connect failed with error ‘Possible SSLconnection failure’”.

Using the described method and system, the UI element 410 in the Germanapplication may provide options to copy the text “Kopieren” 411, copythe text in English “Kopieren in Englischer” 412, and optionally otherlanguages, for example, “Kopieren in Französisch” 413. A language may beselected as a primary language of the application in which case the copyoption may be to the primary language of the application.

In this example, a user of the user interface 400 selects the option 412to copy in English using the user interface's cursor 414. The textstring of the UI element 410 is retrieved from the application'sresource bundle and may be pasted to a clipboard 415 of the userinterface 400 as the original English language equivalent of the errormessage: “Connect failed with error ‘Possible SSL connection failure’”.

Similarly, the user interface 420 of the English equivalent applicationmay provide options to copy 431 or copy in another available language432. The different available language options may be provided in anadditional drop down menu 433 for all languages included in the languageresource bundle of the application. In another embodiment, the availablelanguages may be specified in configurable preferences for anapplication, for example, if users are generally fluent in a secondgiven language.

This enables copying and pasting a visible text string content of a UIelement to a clipboard in both a primary language as well as a languagein which the application is operating and is usually displayed. This isuseful for searching and retrieving additional information of thevisible text string, as well as providing clearer understanding for auser fluent in the alternative language.

The selection of languages may be any other configured language that theapplication has the ability to operate in. The contents of the string inother languages are obtained from the software product's translatedlanguage resource bundle; therefore a high fidelity of translationbetween different languages is achieved.

A further example would be a French application that in Germany says:“Verbindungsaufbau fehlgeschlagen mit Fehler ‘MöglicherSSL-Verbindungsfehler Angegebene Konfiguration SSL=true. UrsprünglicheAusnahmebedingung war (winmvs2c:21)’”.

The original French phrase for this is: “Echec de connexion ayant générél'erreur “Echec de connexion SSL possible. La configuration indiquaitSSL=true. L'exception d'origine était (winmvs2c:21)’.”

The context menu in German, if the application was configured to haveFrench as its primary language may provide the option of:

“Kopie auf Franzosich”.

Similarly, if the application was written in Chinese the original textmay be:

,

“SSL

SSL=true∘

The ability to reach into the program's original language bundles usingaspects of the described method provides an exact translation, which isextremely valuable particularly for users of non-English software. Oneor more aspects of the method pull the translation from the originalapplication resource bundles, and therefore, this provides completefidelity with the other language. Without this link to the programtranslatable resources, a search on text can be rendered near useless.

The described method and system allow a user to run the software in thelanguage that they are most fluent in, but when they copy to theclipboard they are given the choice of copying in either the screenlanguage or else a different language. The different language may be setto be a primary language, such as US English, and in this case thestring in the clipboard will be the original string that would have beendisplayed to the user had they been running the software in the primarylanguage. In other embodiments, a choice of languages may be provided.

A web search carried out using copied text will be using the precisewords with no emulated translation required and will therefore be moreinformative of relevant results. If the end user cannot read the primarylanguage for the search results to understand the forum answers, theymay use their browser to translate the results and get relevantinformation. However, the fidelity of finding the results is no lessthan for the application being run by a user in the primary language.

Aspects of the method result in the highest fidelity result as itaccesses the actual program translatable resource, instead of atranslator program that can often arrive at a very differenttranslation. When the high fidelity text strings are used for searchingforums, blogs, and other content, results and answers from the range ofInternet users can be found easily.

Referring to FIG. 5, a block diagram shows an example embodiment of thedescribed system 500.

As described in relation to FIG. 1, the system may include apre-compiler component 120 which may include at least one processor 501,a hardware module, or a circuit for executing the functions of thedescribed components which may be software units executing on the atleast one processor. Memory 502 may be configured to provide computerinstructions 503 to the processor 501 to carry out the functionality ofthe described components.

The pre-compiler component 120 may include a reference injectorcomponent 121 which may include a statement recognizing component 522for recognizing a code statement in an application that retrieveslanguage bundle values for use in UI elements and an injection component523 for injecting lines into the application to transmit a bundle nameand key to the user interface elements.

As described in relation to FIG. 1, the system may also include a UIadapter 130 which may include at least one processor 511, a hardwaremodule, or a circuit for executing the functions of the describedcomponents which may be software units executing on the at least oneprocessor. Memory 512 may be configured to provide computer instructions513 to the processor 511 to carry out the functionality of the describedcomponents.

The UI adapter 130 may include an option adding component 131 which mayinclude an identifying component 532 for identifying a request event ofa visible text string for a UI element. The option adding component 131may also include an inspecting component 533 for inspecting a user valuearea of a control of the UI element and a reference obtaining component534 for obtaining a resource bundle name and key for one or morelanguage equivalents of the text string of the UI element. The optionadding component 131 may also include a menu adding component 535 foradding a menu option to the request event for a retrieving action forretrieving the language equivalent of the text string in one or morelanguages.

The option adding component 131 may also include a language determiningcomponent 536 for determining the one or more language equivalents thatare available in the resource bundle by referencing the resource bundlename and key. The option adding component 131 may also include a primarylanguage component 537 for determining if a primary language equivalentis available in the resource bundle by referencing the resource bundlename and key.

The option adding component 131 may include a language retrievingcomponent 132 for locating the bundle name and key for a languageequivalent and retrieving a language equivalent value by looking up thenamed resource bundle and identifying a properties file for the languageand retrieving the value for the specified key. The option addingcomponent 131 may include a language adding component 538 for adding theretrieved language value to the menu option.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a schematic of an example of a system 600 inthe form of a computer system or server is shown.

A computer system or server 612 may be operational with numerous othergeneral purpose or special purpose computing system environments orconfigurations. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments,and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with computersystem/server 612 include, but are not limited to, personal computersystems, server computer systems, thin clients, thick clients, hand-heldor laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems,set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs,minicomputer systems, mainframe computer systems, and distributed cloudcomputing environments that include any of the above systems or devices,and the like.

Computer system/server 612 may be described in the general context ofcomputer system-executable instructions, such as program modules, beingexecuted by a computer system. Generally, program modules may includeroutines, programs, objects, components, logic, data structures, and soon that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract datatypes. Computer system/server 612 may be practiced in distributed cloudcomputing environments where tasks are performed by remote processingdevices that are linked through a communications network. In adistributed cloud computing environment, program modules may be locatedin both local and remote computer system storage media including memorystorage devices.

In FIG. 6, a computer system/server 612 is shown in the form of ageneral-purpose computing device. The components of the computersystem/server 612 may include, but are not limited to, one or moreprocessors or processing units 616, a system memory 628, and a bus 618that couples various system components including system memory 628 toprocessor 616.

Bus 618 represents one or more of any of several types of busstructures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheralbus, an accelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus usingany of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and notlimitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture(ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA)bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, andPeripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) bus.

Computer system/server 612 typically includes a variety of computersystem readable media. Such media may be any available media that isaccessible by computer system/server 612, and it includes both volatileand non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media.

System memory 628 can include computer system readable media in the formof volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM) 630 and/or cachememory 632. Computer system/server 612 may further include otherremovable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer system storagemedia. By way of example only, storage system 634 can be provided forreading from and writing to a non-removable, non-volatile magnetic media(not shown and typically called a “hard drive”). Although not shown, amagnetic disk drive for reading from and writing to a removable,non-volatile magnetic disk (e.g., a “floppy disk”), and an optical diskdrive for reading from or writing to a removable, non-volatile opticaldisk such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or other optical media can be provided.In such instances, each can be connected to bus 618 by one or more datamedia interfaces. As will be further depicted and described below,memory 628 may include at least one program product having a set (e.g.,at least one) of program modules that are conFIG.d to carry out thefunctions of embodiments of the invention.

Program/utility 640, having a set (at least one) of program modules 642,may be stored in memory 628 by way of example, and not limitation, aswell as an operating system, one or more application programs, otherprogram modules, and program data. Each of the operating system, one ormore application programs, other program modules, and program data orsome combination thereof, may include an implementation of a networkingenvironment. Program modules 642 generally carry out the functionsand/or methodologies of embodiments of the invention as describedherein.

Computer system/server 612 may also communicate with one or moreexternal devices 614 such as a keyboard, a pointing device, a display624, etc.; one or more devices that enable a user to interact withcomputer system/server 612; and/or any devices (e.g., network card,modem, etc.) that enable computer system/server 612 to communicate withone or more other computing devices. Such communication can occur viaInput/Output (I/O) interfaces 622. Still yet, computer system/server 612can communicate with one or more networks such as a local area network(LAN), a general wide area network (WAN), and/or a public network (e.g.,the Internet) via network adapter 620. As depicted, network adapter 620communicates with the other components of computer system/server 612 viabus 618. It should be understood that although not shown, other hardwareand/or software components could be used in conjunction with computersystem/server 612. Examples, include, but are not limited to: microcode,device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays,RAID systems, tape drives, and data archival storage systems, etc.

As described herein, according to an embodiment of the presentinvention, there is provided a computer-implemented method for providinguser interface options carried out by a user interface (UI) adapter,comprising: identifying a request event relating to a visible textstring for a UI element of an application; inspecting a user value areaof a control of the UI element to obtain a resource bundle name and keyfor one or more language equivalents of the text string of the UIelement; and adding a menu option to the request event by retrieving thelanguage equivalent of the text string in one or more languages from aresource bundle of the application using the resource bundle name andkey.

The resource bundle name and key may be stored at the user value area ofthe control of the UI element as a result of the resource bundle nameand key having been transmitted by code inserted into the object code ofan application by a pre-compiler component.

The method may include: determining the one or more language equivalentsthat are available in the resource bundle by referencing the resourcebundle name and key; and wherein adding a menu option adds a menu optionfor each language equivalent.

The method may include: determining if a primary language equivalent isavailable in the resource bundle by referencing the resource bundle nameand key; and wherein adding a menu option adds a menu option for theprimary language equivalent.

Inspecting a user value area of a control of the UI element maydetermine if the bundle name and key are available.

The method may include: intercepting a selection of the menu option ofthe request event; locating the bundle name and key for a languageequivalent; retrieving a language equivalent value by looking up thenamed resource bundle and identifying a properties file for the languageand retrieving the value for the specified key; and carrying out therequest event with the language equivalent value.

In one embodiment, the request event is a copy request for a text stringof a UI element. In another embodiment, the request event is to displaya text string of a UI element.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda computer-implemented method for providing user interface optionscarried out by a pre-compiler component, comprising: recognizing a codestatement in an object code of an application that retrieves languagebundle values for use in a UI element; and injecting code into theobject code of the application to transmit a bundle name and key to theuser interface elements for storage at the user value area of thecontrol of the UI element.

The method may inject runtime byte codes into the object code whilekeeping the source code original. Recognizing a code statement mayrecognize syntax of the statements of a string externalizer.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a system for providing user interface options, including a userinterface (UI) adapter comprising: a processor and a memory configuredto provide computer program instructions to the processor to execute thefunction of the components; an identifying component for identifying arequest event of a visible text string relating to a UI element of anapplication; an inspecting component for inspecting a user value area ofa control of the UI element to obtain a resource bundle name and key forone or more language equivalents of the text string of the UI element;and a menu adding component for adding a menu option to the requestevent for one or more language equivalents by retrieving the languageequivalent of the text string in one or more languages from a resourcebundle of the application using the resource bundle name and key.

The resource bundle name and key may be stored at the user value area ofthe control of the UI element as a result of the resource bundle nameand key having been transmitted by code inserted into the object code ofan application by a pre-compiler component.

The system may include: a language determining component for determiningthe one or more language equivalents that are available in the resourcebundle by referencing the resource bundle name and key; and wherein themenu adding component adds a menu option for each language equivalent.

The system may include: a primary language component for determining ifa primary language equivalent is available in the resource bundle byreferencing the resource bundle name and key; and wherein the menuadding component adds a menu option for the primary language equivalent.

The inspecting component for inspecting a user value area of a controlof the UI element may determine if the bundle name and key areavailable.

The system may include: an intercepting component for intercepting aselection of the menu option of the request event; a locating componentfor locating the bundle name and key for a language equivalent; and alanguage retrieving component for retrieving a language equivalent valueby looking up the named resource bundle and identifying a propertiesfile for the language and retrieving the value for the specified key.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a system for providing user interface options, including apre-compiler component, comprising: a statement recognizing componentfor recognizing a code statement in an object code of an applicationthat retrieves language bundle values for use in a UI element; and aninjection component for injecting code into the object code of theapplication to transmit a bundle name and key to the user interfaceelements for storage at the user value area of the control of the UIelement.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a computer program product for providing user interfaceoptions, the computer program product comprising a computer readablestorage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, theprogram instructions executable by a processor to cause the processorto: identify a request event relating to a visible text string for a UIelement of an application; inspect a user value area of a control of theUI element to obtain a resource bundle name and key for one or morelanguage equivalents of the text string of the UI element; and add amenu option to the request event by retrieving the language equivalentof the text string in one or more languages from a resource bundle ofthe application using the resource bundle name and key.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a computer program product for providing user interfaceoptions, the computer program product comprising a computer readablestorage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, theprogram instructions executable by a processor to cause the processorto: recognize a code statement in an object code of an application thatretrieves language bundle values for use in a UI element; and injectcode into the object code of the application to transmit a bundle nameand key to the user interface elements for storage at the user valuearea of the control of the UI element

The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computerprogram product at any possible technical detail level of integration.The computer program product may include a computer readable storagemedium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereonfor causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention.

The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that canretain and store instructions for use by an instruction executiondevice. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but isnot limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device,an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, asemiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of thecomputer readable storage medium includes the following: a portablecomputer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), aread-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMor Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portablecompact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD),a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such aspunch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructionsrecorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. Acomputer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construedas being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freelypropagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagatingthrough a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulsespassing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmittedthrough a wire.

Computer readable program instructions described herein can bedownloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computerreadable storage medium or to an external computer or external storagedevice via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, awide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprisecopper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wirelesstransmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/oredge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in eachcomputing/processing device receives computer readable programinstructions from the network and forwards the computer readable programinstructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium withinthe respective computing/processing device.

Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations ofthe present invention may be assembler instructions,instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions,machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions,state-setting data, configuration data for integrated circuitry, oreither source code or object code written in any combination of one ormore programming languages, including an object oriented programminglanguage such as Smalltalk, C++, or the like, and procedural programminglanguages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programminglanguages. The computer readable program instructions may executeentirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as astand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partlyon a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. Inthe latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user'scomputer through any type of network, including a local area network(LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to anexternal computer (for example, through the Internet using an InternetService Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including,for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gatearrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute thecomputer readable program instructions by utilizing state information ofthe computer readable program instructions to personalize the electroniccircuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer readable program instructions.

These computer readable program instructions may be provided to aprocessor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, orother programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, suchthat the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computeror other programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructionsmay also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can directa computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or otherdevices to function in a particular manner, such that the computerreadable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises anarticle of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects ofthe function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram blockor blocks.

The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto acomputer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other deviceto cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer,other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computerimplemented process, such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement thefunctions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods, and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternativeimplementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of theorder noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in successionmay, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks maysometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardwareand computer instructions.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present inventionhave been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intendedto be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the describedembodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain theprinciples of the embodiments, the practical application or technicalimprovement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodimentsdisclosed herein.

Improvements and modifications can be made to the foregoing withoutdeparting from the scope of aspects of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method of providing userinterface (UI) options carried out by a user interface adapter, thecomputer-implemented method comprising: identifying a request eventrelating to a text string for a UI element of an application; inspectinga user value area of a control of the UI element to obtain a resourcebundle name and key for one or more language equivalents of the textstring of the UI element; and adding a menu option to the request eventby retrieving a language equivalent of the text string in one or morelanguages from a resource bundle of the application using the resourcebundle name and key.
 2. The computer-implemented method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the resource bundle name and key are stored at the uservalue area of the control of the UI element as a result of the resourcebundle name and key having been transmitted by code inserted into objectcode by a pre-compiler component.
 3. The computer-implemented method asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising determining the one or morelanguage equivalents that are available in the resource bundle byreferencing the resource bundle name and key, wherein the adding themenu option adds a menu option for each language equivalent.
 4. Thecomputer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, further comprisingdetermining whether a primary language equivalent is available in theresource bundle by referencing the resource bundle name and key, whereinthe adding the menu option adds a menu option for the primary languageequivalent.
 5. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1,wherein the inspecting the user value area of the control of the UIelement determines whether the bundle name and key are available.
 6. Thecomputer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:intercepting a selection of the menu option of the request event;locating the bundle name and key for the language equivalent; retrievinga language equivalent value by looking up a named resource bundle andidentifying a properties file for the language equivalent and retrievinga value for the specified key; and carrying out the request event withthe language equivalent value.
 7. The computer-implemented method asclaimed in claim 6, wherein the request event is a copy request for thetext string of the UI element.
 8. The computer-implemented method asclaimed in claim 6, wherein the request event is to display the textstring of the UI element.
 9. The computer-implemented method as claimedin claim 1, further comprising: recognizing, by a pre-compilercomponent, a code statement in object code that retrieves languagebundle values for use in UI elements; and injecting lines into theobject code to transmit the bundle name and key to user interfaceelements during compiling of the application.
 10. A computer-implementedmethod of providing user interface (UI) options carried out by apre-compiler component, the computer-implemented method comprising:recognizing a code statement in an object code of an application thatretrieves language bundle values for use in a UI element; and injectingcode into the object code of the application to transmit a bundle nameand key to the UI element for storage at a user value area of a controlof the UI element.
 11. The computer-implemented method as claimed inclaim 10, wherein the injecting comprises injecting runtime byte codesinto the object code while keeping the source code original.
 12. Thecomputer-implemented method as claimed in claim 10, wherein therecognizing comprises recognizing syntax of statements of a stringexternalizer.